The Poles Say No

For years Poland has been a country in great need of economic reform. Production plunged nearly 25% in the five-year period beginning in 1978, leaving Poland a basket case in the world economy. Recovery has been slow since.

The Polish government, anxious to obtain credits from Western bankers, has recently been at pains to portray itself as economically responsible. This week’s referendum on proposed economic reforms was supposed to demonstrate that the Polish nation was reasonably united in its determination to solve its problems.

It didn’t work. For the first time in the history of postwar communism, a Soviet Bloc government this week lost a national election--in this case a referendum on the Polish Politburo’s plan for economic and political reform.

The Warsaw regime, if it is wise, will recognize the message: Until genuine political pluralism exists in Poland, the people will remain unwilling to make the kind of sacrifices that are necessary to bring the crippled economy back to life.

There is no question that the price structure is out of whack. Many consumer items have artificially low price tags, which serve to discourage production and create shortages.

The fact is, though, that Poles strongly resist any substantial increases in consumer prices. Solidarity, the independent trade-union federation, was born of the deeply felt need of Polish workers for an organization to resist such price increases.

This week’s referendum represented an attempt by the authorities to create the appearance of support by the populace.

Proposition One on the ballot frankly posed the prospect of short-term sacrifice, including jumps of 100% to 200% in the prices of food, fuel and other necessities, in return for the long-term promise of a more affluent Poland. The second proposition, designed to be a sweetener, offered vaguely defined political reforms supposedly aimed at giving Poles a greater say in their destinies.

Two-thirds of those voting approved both propositions--a respectable showing by U.S. standards. But Polish law required a favorable vote of 51% of all eligible voters. The pro-government vote fell well short of that standard.

Considering the all-out propaganda campaign and the coercive tools available to the authorities, this was a shocking defeat for the Communist regime. Outsiders who wish the best for Poland should not be sanguine, however. The country really does need economic reforms that by their nature require a period of sacrifice by the people.

The outcome of the referendum is not necessarily a vote for Solidarity and other forces hostile to the regime. Most Poles, at this point, are simply apathetic. As dissident Jacek Kuron put it: “This does not mean that society is opposed to swift economic and political reforms, only that it has no confidence in those who are carrying them out.”

Lech Walesa and other Solidarity leaders have offered to help the authorities inaugurate genuine reforms--but only if the regime allows free trade unions and engages in a real dialogue with Solidarity and other opposition forces.

In a truly pluralistic society, that would rate as a modest demand. So far, unfortunately, the Communist government has shown no interest in carrying socialist democracy that far.